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Four Cuppas A Day Could Help Keep Inflammatory Issues At Bay
3rd Mar '26 - UKTIA
A regular brew may help reduce inflammation, especially in people with existing high levels, suggests new study
A familiar British staple may have a newly uncovered health-related role. A new study suggests that regular black tea with or without milk, one of the nation’s most-consumed drinks, may help relieve conditions linked to long-term inflammation.
Co-author of the new study, Black Tea and Systemic Inflammation: A Narrative Review of Inflammatory Markers and Their Role in Disease Modulation,[1] and Tea Advisory Panel (TAP; teaadvisorypanel.com) member, Dr Nisa Aslam says, “These latest research findings could be relevant to conditions such as asthma, osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and more – all of which are driven, at least in part, by chronic inflammation.”
The new study brings together evidence from 22 previously published papers, including 11 reviews of previous studies and 11 clinical trials, examining how black tea affects markers of inflammation in the body.
Why the focus on black tea?
“Previous research has tended to focus on green tea, or to look at plant compounds more generally, rather than examining black tea on its own. As a result, evidence on black tea and inflammation has been scattered across the scientific literature,” says study co-author and TAP member Dr Emma Derbyshire.
This review brings that evidence together, offering a clearer picture of how drinking black tea – the most widely consumed tea among Brits – may be linked to anti-inflammatory activity in the body.
“While our research review is not suggesting that tea can replace medical treatment, it does add to growing evidence that the tea we drink dietetically every day, which is rich in plant compounds called polyphenols - such as flavan-3-ols - may influence how the body responds to inflammatory stress,” says Dr Nisa Aslam.
How could your cuppa help?
Black tea’s potential anti-inflammatory activity appears to stem from its rich profile of naturally occurring bioactive compounds. These include polyphenols like flavan-3-ols theaflavins, thearubigins, catechins and quercetin – plant chemicals that interact with the body’s immune and inflammatory pathways.
Researcher, chemist, and TAP co-author, Dr Tim Bond comments, “Tea polyphenols can help defend against harmful molecules that can damage cells, while also boosting the body’s own built-in antioxidant defences. They may also help to reduce activity in some of the main biological pathways that trigger and maintain the inflammatory response.”
“Additionally, black tea polyphenols may help maintain a strong gut barrier and improve the gut’s bacterial balance, which may benefit people with inflammatory bowel conditions in particular,”[2] says Dr Nisa Aslam.
Black tea also contains the amino acid L-theanine, which has been found to block oxidative damage caused by inflammatory reactions and protect against damage to the lining cells of organs like the digestive tract and airway. Together, these compounds provide a realistic mechanism for the inflammation-reducing effects of black tea observed by scientists.
How much tea makes a difference?
“Most of the studies we included involved people drinking around three to four cups of black tea a day,” says Dr Tim Bond. “That is broadly in line with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ recommendation of 400–600 mg a day of flavan-3-ols for cardiometabolic health.”[3]
Across the 22 studies, the link between drinking black tea (with or without milk) and reductions in inflammatory markers were particularly noticeable among people who had higher levels of inflammation to begin with. The strongest effects were seen in longer-running trials and in groups with existing inflammatory health conditions.
Bringing tea to the public health table
“Chronic low-level inflammation is a growing public health concern, linked to rising rates of conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and osteoarthritis. Diet is increasingly recognised as a practical way to help manage this inflammation, with dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean diet, for example, often cited for their benefits,” says Dr Nisa Aslam.
While this new study revealed a range of potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of regular black tea consumption, the need for larger and longer-term studies that reflect everyday tea-drinking habits and examine a wider range of health outcomes remains.
“With additional insight from larger and longer-term studies, tea – as a widely consumed, low-cost source of anti-inflammatory compounds – may prove to be worthy of incorporation into public health strategies,” says Dr Emma Derbyshire.
For now, we can all sit back and relax with our brew, knowing that enjoying 3-4 cups of black tea, with or without milk, each day appears to be a simple and comforting way to boost our intake of anti-inflammatory plant bioactives – alongside a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
[1] Derbyshire, et al. (2026). Black Tea and Systemic Inflammation: A Narrative Review of Inflammatory Markers and Their Role in Disease Modulation. Food & Nutrition Sciences 2026 17(2) 10.4236/fns.2026.172013
[2] Truong VL, Manochai B, Pham TT, et al. Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Zingiber montanum Oil in HepG2 Cells and Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated RAW 264.7 Macrophages. J Med Food 2021;24(6):595–605. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2021.k.0019
[3] Derbyshire E, Bond T, Mason P (2023) Moving Beyond Nutrients–Tea Flavonoids and Human Health Is It Time to Consider Food-Based Bioactive Guidelines? Nutr Food Technol Open Access 9(1): dx.doi.org/10.16966/2470-6086.184
The Tea Advisory Panel: The Tea Advisory Panel is supported by an restricted educational grant from the UK TEA & INFUSIONS ASSOCIATION, the trade association for the UK tea industry. The Panel has been created to provide media with impartial information regarding the health benefits of tea. Panel members include nutritionists; dieticians and doctors
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